Chapter 14

You Have My Attention

After dropping John Robinson and the Jupiter off at Fondor for the ship's repairs, Don and Judy continued on the Millenium Falcon with Han and Chewie to Giju. Don, with a personal vendetta against Smith, was determined to capture him and see that he was punished for his part in Leia's kidnapping. Judy volunteered her medical services and hoped that she wouldn't need to use them for Leia.

Luke and Lando were flying Lando's new ship, the Lady Luck, to Albregado to contact Talon Kaarde for information on Thyferra as well as Leia. Han hoped that they were having better luck than he had on Giju. He found no information on where Delvardus had moved his base of operations and there was nothing he could do except wait for word from Lando.

His pilot's chair was the only place where Han could find some peace. He was living on shear nerves and caf. Judy was worried about him. She would check on him every night before retiring and always found him alone in the cockpit, staring blindly through the viewport. Tonight she heard him talking, and wondered if he was losing his grip on reality, but he wasn't alone, he was with Don.

"She told me she loved me as I was being lowered into the carbon freezing chamber. I could have died then and there," he said.

"Is that when you told her you loved her?" Don asked.

Han glanced at Don with a crooked half smile on his face and shook his head. "I said, 'I know'… not one of my finer moments."

Judy walked softly up behind them and said, "From what Leia has told me, you've more than made up for it since then."

Both men looked up in tandem.

"Have you eaten anything today, General?" she asked.

"There's the evidence." He pointed to a half eaten sandwich Don had brought him and stood. "In fact, I'll think I'll take it back to the galley and finish up there." He held his chair for Judy and motioned for her to sit.

"Wait, I want to hear about the rescue," Don pleaded.

"That will be tomorrow night's bedtime story, kids. Same time, same place." He left them alone.

Judy sat stiffly in Han's vacant chair. "Don, I don't think you should be asking him about Leia. It must be hard for him to talk about her."

"You know, you're pretty clueless for a doctor."

"Excuse me?" She was miffed.

"It's called 'therapy.' He's constantly thinking about her, so talking about her might make him a little less miserable if someone is listening."

"You're not a psychologist."

"It doesn't take a psychologist to understand love."

"I was talking about therapy, not love."

"You don't know much about either, do you?" Don stood and walked out.

'Ooooh, that arrogant, self-centered…' Judy stopped that thought. She'd go and comm Luke to calm herself. He was just what she needed.

The Lady Luck docked at Albregado-rae's spaceport. He expected a contact, who would take them to Talon Kaarde's headquarters, to meet them. As Lando and Luke descended the ramp, a cloaked figure approached them and motioned for them to follow. Kaarde's offices were within a short walk, but they had to step over and ignore quite a few panhandlers before reaching their destination.

The robed figure seemed to glide along and Lando guessed that their contact was a female who was in excellent physical condition, and he mentioned this to Luke.

Luke gave him a doubtful look. "How can you tell?"

"Ah, Luke, such innocence… Trust me, when you're as experienced as I am, it becomes a sixth sense, much like the Force is to you."

Speaking of the Force, Luke felt a heightened energy in the area. He thought it was coming from their contact, but he couldn't be sure. He would have a better idea when they were in closed quarters. Their destination appeared in front of them and Luke was impressed by the building. It could have been an office building in any major city and it was run just as efficiently, if not more so.

Once inside, their contact threw back the hood to reveal a thick mass of red hair and almond shaped green eyes. Luke felt as if he had been hit by a thirty-foot wave. She was definitely Force sensitive and her beauty took his breath away. Lando gave Luke a smug smile and extended his hand to the woman.

"I am General Lando Calrissian and extremely pleased to make your acquaintance."

She ignored his hand and nodded without reply. Her eyes were distant, yet trained on Luke, as if she was expecting him to morph into a rancor. Luke was speechless and unable to take his eyes off her. The Force was telling him that their destinies were somehow connected. He just wished he know how.

The woman deposited Lando and Luke in a plush office tastefully appointed in grey and black with splashes of red. As Kaarde entered the room, the woman disappeared without a sound.

"Calrissian, it's been a long time. I hear that you and Solo have renounced your smuggler's ways," Talon Kaarde stated.

"Let's just say that we've become legitimate for the time being. I'd like to introduce Commander Luke Skywalker," Lando replied.

"Isn't Jedi the more appropriate term?" Talon said.

"Perhaps," Luke answered.

"You're being modest. Your reputation precedes you."

"Who was that gorgeous woman who escorted us here today, Kaarde?" Lando asked.

"She prefers to remain anonymous. So, what can I do for you?"

"We need information on Delvardus and Thyferra."

"And what will I get in return for this information?"

"The good will of the New Republic."

"That is not worth much to me at the moment."

"But it may be in the future."

"Ah, credits in the bank so to speak."

"Exactly."

"You have my attention."

"As you know, the New Republic has freed Fondor from Delvardus' grasp. In retaliation, he captured Princess Leia Organa and offered to trade her for Fondor. Needless to say, free access to Fondor's shipyards is a benefit to both you and the New Republic. Rather than a trade, Han and I are planning a rescue. Do you have any information on the whereabouts of the Princess?"

"Find Delvardus and you find the princess. Word has it that he has moved his base from Giju to Ghorman. Now, what about Thyferra?"

"Is Thyferra under the control of Delvardus?"

"In name only. The Bacta Cartel rules Thyferra with an iron grip and will not relinquish their power easily. You would stand a better chance of conquering Coruscant than Thyferra."

"Just as I thought," Lando commented. "Luke?"

"Huh?" he replied.

"Have you been listening?"

Although his mind was preoccupied with the redheaded woman, he was able to answer. "Ghorman is where we'll find Delvardus and Leia. Thyferra is controlled by the Bacta Cartel and not ripe for invasion. I agree."

"Rather than invading Thyferra, we'll need to chase Delvardus out of the Rimma Trade Route and deal with the Bacta Cartel later. Of course, we'll still try to find some bacta supplies for your young lady, Luke," Lando stated.

"One warning to both of you," Talon stated. "The Bacta Cartel is vicious in dealing with anyone who procures their resources without their consent. Those captured are treated as public examples for all who would deny them their profit."

"Thank you, Kaarde, we'll keep that in mind." Lando bowed.

After they returned to the Lady Luck, Luke found a message waiting for him from Judy. He would return her comm in the morning. Right now he needed to meditate.

Judy lay on her cot and tried to envision Luke's comforting voice and calming hold as she took deep breaths to settle her mind. As hard as she tried, however, her thoughts kept drifting back to Don and his rude comments. 'Rude or truthful?' she wondered.

Sleep gradually claimed her and she floated in a dream. She was standing on the edge of a river bank overlooking a moving stream of bacta. She heard Luke shout to retreat, but she stepped closer to the edge. The ground shook and the river bank eroded under her feet. Don appeared and pushed her away while Luke pulled her to safety. She reached for Don, but he plunged into the bacta below. Judy shot upright and she was surrounded by a sense of foreboding. She made her way into the galley and found Han sitting alone in the dark.

"Han? Are you all right?" she asked.

"Can't sleep. What are you doing up?" he replied.

"Bad dream. Came in for some hot chocolate. Want some?"

"Nah, that's Luke's drink. By the way, Lando sent us a message. He knows Delvardus is on Ghormon. We'll meet up with him and Luke on Fondor and then move onto Ghorman on the Millenium Falcon."

"Did he happen to mention if Luke received my message?"

"I didn't know you had commed him."

"It was nothing important."

Han watched her efficient moves in making her hot chocolate. He assumed that she was a good doctor, but she was so serious, so in need of someone to set her spirit free.

"Judy, can I ask what's really going on between you and Don?"

"Nothing's going on, Han."

"Could've fooled me. There are more fireworks between you two than when the empire fell."

"Maybe on Don's part, but not mine."

"Take a good look at yourself, kiddo. Don't make the same mistake Leia and I made. Time is ticking away." Judy watched him return to his cabin and wondered if he knew her better than she knew herself.

The bed really wasn't that big, but felt cavernous without her. The cabin had her essence all around him… her clothes, her scent, a strand of hair on her pillow. Han closed his eyes and his arms would migrate to her side of the bed, but he found only tangled bedclothes. He slept in fits between dreams of Leia in pain, Leia in chains, searching for Leia in vain.

The navigational alarm went off and Han arose with little rest, but more energy than he'd had the entire trip. The waiting was over. It was finally time for action.